


Father and Son

by respoftw



Series: Infinity and Beyond [11]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 03:06:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10845207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/respoftw/pseuds/respoftw
Summary: There are so many things to freak about when you suddenly find yourself the father of an eighteen month old boy





	Father and Son

**Author's Note:**

> GOTG vol 2 gave me FEELS so have some Dorian fic. The bulk of this is set somewhere in the middle of 'The Universe and Human Stupidity' but you don't need to have read that for it to make sense.

"You want me to _what_?" John closed the golf magazine he'd been using to avoid paperwork and directed his full attention towards Rodney.

Rodney huffed loudly. "You heard me. And I'm not repeating it again just so you can amuse yourself. Now, are you willing to help me or not?"

Rodney's tone had an edge of panic and despair in it that John _definitely_ didn't find amusing. Holding his hands up, he stood and gently eased towards his office doorway, where Rodney was practically vibrating in a mixture of impatience and helplessness.

"I'm always willing to help you, Rodney. You know that. I'm just a little confused as to why you need to learn how to throw a damn ball."

"Because that's what Dad's are supposed to do," Rodney's hands waved in the air as if John was being incredibly dense by not grasping the concept. "They play catch," he expanded. "With their sons. And Dorian is my son, or so says Carson - -"

"-- and anyone with eyes," John interrupted with a frown, not wanting to go over this again. He thought they were past that.

"You don't need to convince me anymore, Colonel, I'm there. I've accepted that Dorian is mine and I've agreed to your ridiculous plan to raise him together. I've taken myself off the team, I've cut back my hours in the lab, I've spent hours and hours playing peek-a-boo and trying to devise an easier, less traumatising way to get him out of the bath. I'm doing everything a father is supposed to."

John's frown softened. "And you're doing great." Seeing Rodney's sceptical look, John moved closer until he was near enough to reach out and squeeze Rodney's shoulder. "Really, Rodney, you are."

Rodney swallowed audibly, closing his eyes for just a second before he shook John's hand off. "But I don't know how to play catch. I've never...I'm supposed to teach him how to throw a ball and I..." Rodney trailed off dejectedly.

John placed his hand back on Rodney's shoulder and stepped closer when Rodney made no move to shake him off. "He's eighteen months old, Rodney. You've got a while before that comes up."

"He _is_ half McKay, you know," Rodney bristled. "We're always ahead of the curve."

John couldn't help but smile. "I can imagine." Now that Rodney was snarking instead of shaking, John pulled back and perched on the edge of his desk, crossing his arms. "So, your Dad never.."

"Please." Rodney huffed a dejected laugh. "My Dad barely came out of his lab until it became clear that I could be of some use to him. I don't want that for Dorian."

"What about your Mom? Moms can play catch too, y'know."

"Your Mom taught you?" Rodney asked. "What about your father?"

John shrugged. "He was always working. You're not the only one trying not to make the same mistakes as their own father."

"It's good you had your Mom," Rodney nodded absently. "Mine was...well, let's just say that naming me Meredith was one of the kinder acts she did as a mother." Rodney avoided John's eyes as he cleared his throat. "Yours sounds nice though."

John smiled softly. It hurt to remember his Mom but the more time that passed, the more the pain had twisted into the good kind. "Yeah, she was. She would have loved Dorian. Doted on him."

"Past tense? I'm sorry."

It was John's turn to avoid Rodney's eyes. "Yeah, well. It is what it is." He pushed off his desk and turned his back on Rodney for a second, turning off his computer was a reasonable excuse. Once his misty eyes were under control, he turned back to Rodney.

"Let me track down a ball and I'll meet you on the South pier?"

"Really?" Rodney's eyes were wide in disbelief. "You'll do it?"

John shrugged again. "I told you McKay, I'm here for you on this parenting thing. Whatever you need. Whether it's changing diapers, teaching you to throw a ball or...hey, have I told you about my idea on how to make bath times a little less traumatic? So, I was thinking that we could pretend the plug is monster and - -"

\----

John closed his golf magazine as he heard the thundering sound of little feet that signalled Dorian and Rodney were back from their excursion. Seconds later, the door to their apartment slid open and the ball of energy that was a three and a half year old Dorian came running towards him.

"Dadadadadadadadada." Much like his father, Dorian had a tendency to forget to breath between words when he was excited.

"Fun day?" John grinned over Dorian's blonde head at a tired looking Rodney.

"Exhausting day," Rodney corrected.

"Dadadadadada," Dorian insistently pulled at John's dog tags.

"What's up, buddy?" John's attention swung back to Dorian. "Did you have a good day with your Daddy?"

Dorian nodded his head furiously. "We played catch! And I caught the ball lots. I dropped it lots too but, you know what?"

John smiled at Dorian's enthusiasm. "What?"

"Daddy didn't drop the ball ever! Not even once!"

John widened his eyes in pretend wonder. "Not even once. Wow," he grinned at Rodney, "sounds like your Daddy is pretty great."

"He's the bestest!" Dorian agreed seriously. "I love him lots. But I love you lots too, Dada!"

John hugged Dorian close. "Love you too, buddy."

Dorian clung fiercely to him, as if trying to reassure John that he loved him just as much as he loved Rodney no matter how much better his Daddy was at catch. John's eyes caught on Rodney who was leaning against the wall, looking at the two of them with such fondness that it took John's breath away.

"Thank you," Rodney mouthed silently.

  
John waved him off. It was nothing. They were family. Even back then. Helping each other out is what family do.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always looking to write more Dorian so if you have anything you want to see in this series, hit me up in the comments or on tumblr where I'm under the URL buffycuddlespigs.


End file.
